Counter mounted instant hot water dispensers are well known and widely used in the market today. These counter mount hot water dispensers are capable of providing a convenient means of dispensing near boiling hot water on demand. One benefit of these types of dispensers is that they can be used for production of beverages through use of beverage mediums, such as tea bags, beverage powders (e.g., hot chocolate powders), and instant coffee mixes. However, the beverage medium is generally placed in a beverage receptacle, such as a cup, mug or thermos, each being disassociated with the hot water dispenser. The mixing of the beverage occurs through an immersion process by using the dispensed hot liquid (e.g., water) with the beverage medium in the beverage receptacle.
Single serving and other format beverage dispensers (e.g., single serving coffee brewers, coffee machines, hot chocolate machines) are available on the market today but do not provide the same function of a basin mount instant hot water dispenser in that these beverage dispensers require water to be provided to the system in between each operation of after a limited number of operations in certain cases where the beverage dispenser is provided with a reservoir (e.g., water tank, spring water bottle). These beverage dispensers are generally configured to work with proprietary single serve beverage cups or other beverage medium (e.g., coffee grinds) placed into a beverage medium receptacle (e.g., coffee filter).
Additionally, single serving and other format beverage dispensers generally require a pump or other pressure generation system in order to move water from a reservoir into and through their dispensing system. These pumps or other pressure generation components are generally mechanical in nature and subject to wear and tear. Over time, these components wear out, requiring replacement at additional cost or otherwise requiring the entire dispenser to be replaced.
In addition to requiring refilling of a water supply, these beverage dispensers are generally configured to reside on a countertop or other similar surface. These beverage dispensers are generally large and end up utilizing counter space that could be utilized for other purposes. Since each beverage dispenser requires its own beverage production elements (e.g., heating element, pump, water reservoir, dispensing unit and beverage receptacle area, the space taken up is inefficient as multiple beverage dispensers may be required to satisfy the demands of a single household (e.g., coffee maker, espresso machine, water filtering dispenser, hot water dispenser).
Many of the beverage dispensers currently on the market utilize single serving beverage mediums, such as single serving brew cups. Some of these beverage mediums have been configured to be reusable, providing consumers a means to use and refill their choice of beverage media via a single serve beverage medium. Many of the reusable beverage mediums function in the same manner as a disposable beverage medium, except that these reusable beverage mediums generally utilize a body with integral screen and removable lid to allow for changing beverage media in between uses. Some designs allow liquid to form a vertical channel through the beverage media while others distribute the liquid horizontally through the media in an effort to improve homogenous saturation of beverage media. All designs however have a significant limitation and that is proper metering and distribution of liquid in and through the beverage media contained in the beverage medium to achieve desirable saturation and extraction. Lack of distribution of the liquid also results in diminished brew time, which negatively effects saturation, extraction and flavoring of the brewed beverage.
Disposable cups currently on the market provide a convenient means to dispense beverage media. A popular packaging method has been to use a body having solid construction generally formed by thin plastic, filter media to contain the beverage media and seal media at top of the disposable cup to provide an air-tight configuration. In operation a sharp inlet nozzle of a beverage dispenser penetrates the seal media for entry of liquid into the cup and a sharp outlet nozzle of the beverage dispenser either penetrates the same seal media or the cup bottom, opposite side of internal filter, to extract the processed beverage from the cup. Metering is accomplished by appropriate sizing of the nozzles. There are several disadvantages to this process: (i) when packaged in an airtight enclosure beverage media, such as coffee, cannot be freshly packed; (ii) pressure buildup from gassing or altitude may impact dispenser performance—for instance use of prior art beverage medium cups at high altitudes may require the inconvenience of pre-puncturing cups and decreased brewing temperatures that will negatively impact extraction and flavoring of the brewed liquid); (iii) some designs inject liquid vertically creating vertical columns within the beverage media while peripheral beverage media is not proportionally saturated in the brewing process; (iv) filter media requires additional components and a secondary process for its installation; (v) in some cases filter media, such as bleached paper, can impact quality and purity of brewed beverage affecting taste and potentially introduce toxins such as Dioxin; and (vi) saturation and extraction of beverage media is not always uniform.
Other beverage mediums exist that do not use a cup like body, but rather utilize a simple filter media. The problem with beverage mediums of this format is that there is practically no metering and as a result a much bolder beverage media blend must be used. These beverage mediums also do not address proper water distribution ensuring saturation for effective extraction. Also, these beverage mediums must be packed in secondary airtight packaging which adds cost and waste. Once the secondary packing is opened the cups must be promptly used as oxygen is introduced and will quickly oxidize the beverage media.
Further, with respect to disposable cups, there are no disposable beverage mediums in the current art that provide for the use of de-gassing valves. Since these beverage mediums do not provide for de-gassing, they cannot be packed with fresh beverage media as fresh beverage media (e.g., roasted coffee grinds) require de-gassing when packed fresh. De-gassing valves are commonly used for packaging of coffee, allowing packaging of roasted coffee right away, but this has not been applied to sealed single serve beverage mediums nor have they doubled up providing a path for brewed liquid to exit. Further, no sealed single serve beverage mediums utilize an integrated filter as part of the construction of the beverage medium body. When viewed in light of the need for de-gassing and dispensing, generally, the construction of traditional de-gassing valves does not lend well to application on sealed single serve beverage mediums.
There is therefore a need in the art for an integrated hybrid water and beverage dispenser and brewing cups for use therewith. These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be explained and will become obvious to one skilled in the art through the summary of the invention that follows.